The Bloomsbury Environmental Isotope Facility (BEIF) houses two continuous-flow (Thermo Fisher Scientific Delta V) isotope ratio mass spectrometers with a number of peripheral devices for measuring δ2H, δ13C, δ15N, δ18O, and δ34S in a variety of solids, and a Nu Perspective IS with NuCarb device for clumped isotope measurements in carbonates.
The peripheral instruments in the BEIF laboratory allows us to analyse carbonates (sediments, speleothem, foraminifera, ostracods, corals, fish otoliths, belemnites...), bulk organic matter as well as samples from cave deposits, archaeological materials (bone, teeth, hair & plants) and rocks.
Our Equipment:
Gasbench
Inside the gas bench
Micromill
Micromill samples
Micromill samples
Diamond wire saw
EA Isolink
Nu Perspective IS
Microbalance
Tooth sampling
Zeiss Stereomicroscope
Analytical Capability
The BEIF is equipped to analyse the following materials:
The BEIF lab is equipped with a Gas Bench II linked to a Delta V Advantage isotope ratio mass spectrometer via a ConFlo IV (Thermo Fisher Scientific) for headspace analysis of gas species from acidified carbonate.
The GasBench II can also be used for δ18O analysis of of water via headspace equilibration or to measure δ13C in dissolved inorganic carbon.
The EA Isolink is used for the analysis of Nitrogen, Carbon, Sulfur as well as Oxyen and Hydrogen isotopes in materials such as soils and sediments and in 'biological' materials such as fish muscle, algae, insect, hair, chitin and bone collagen. It will also provide values of weight percent - %C and %N.
The BEIF has Nu Perspective IS for the measurement of carbonate clumped isotopes (D47) and δ13C & δ18O of small carbonate samples (<100 micrograms).
Other instruments
In addition to equipment described in the Analytical Capability Section, the BEIF is also equipped with the following apparatus to help with the preparation of the samples:
The Merchantek/New Wave MicroMill
The Micromill is a microsampling device designed for high resolution milling to recover sample powder from rocks, speleothems, belmenites, bivalves and corals for chemical and isotopic analysis.
The microdrill is coupled to a visualization system (CCD and computer) for real time observation, and an electronic drive mechanism for submicron stage resolution and positional accuracy.
- METTLER TOLEDO XP6
- METTLER TOLEDO XPR6U
Well, Model 3241
- Please note the Wire Saw is currently not available for use -
Zeiss Stemi DV4
Contact us
Department of Earth Sciences Room 102, Kathleen Lonsdale Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BS
beif@ucl.ac.uk| BEIF Manager | Julie C. S. Brown |
| Steering Committee | Prof. Jonathan Holmes (chair) Prof. Graham Shields Prof. Rhiannon Stevens Prof. David Thornalley Prof. Bridget Wade |